Lone Star
by Asphalt-Cowgirl04
Summary: Never knowing his family or a place to call home, a homeless Chevrolet SUV fends for himself on the streets of Houston, TX. When circumstances change and he is forced to leave, he not only is taken on a journey to find himself, but he also continues to face the hardships of being a gas guzzler in a fuel efficient car's world.
1. Chapter 1

_****Hey everyone! This is a revamp of my original story, the Lost and the Lonely (I wrote the original back in high school and never finished it). For those who have read it, there will be a lot of changes you will see...characters, locations, situations etc. If you have never read the original before that's alright too, enjoy the story of my Texan Tahoe, Big Thing! And don't try to take this story too politically in the sake of our world, this is how I see the gas situation in the cars world to be. Enjoy!****_

Chapter 1

Between two apartment buildings was a dark and dirty alleyway in the city of Houston, Texas. Trash was littered everywhere and the alleyway's dampness gave it a musty odor. However, this alleyway was different from many others, which were simply gaps between buildings, where cars would throw away trash or make drug deals. This alleyway housed a resident, who lived in a shelter made of metal and old cardboard boxes.

The alleyway's resident had been asleep for the night, and it was finally daybreak. As soon as the sky brightened the car woke up, emerging from his makeshift shelter. He slowly drove out of the alleyway and into the light, which slightly burned his eyes. For a moment he squinted at the light, then shook his hood and yawned. Once he was ready, he started driving off down the bustling city streets of Houston to start his day.

The alleyway's resident was a 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe, who had been homeless for about fifteen years. He never knew who his parents were, and he never had a place he could call home. When he was a baby he was abandoned on the city streets of Houston, and was picked up by a car that brought him to an orphanage. Until he was eight he was raised there, and he hated every minute of it.

He had always wanted to be picked up and taken to a new home, but his newfound family never came. For years he watched cars be happily adopted and he was left to stay, unwanted by any of the cars that were looking for a child. Right away he was never considered because he had low gas mileage, a burden many adopting parents did not want to have on their tires. He was harsh on one's wallet, since the amount of gas he needed to keep going was a lot more than the common sedan.

Another reason he had hated living at the orphanage was that he was one of the largest kids there. Being an SUV, he towered over a lot of the other kids and some of the staff as well. Since no one knew his real name, everyone at the orphanage gave him a nickname. He was called Big Thing, since he was simply big and a thing, and the name eventually stuck. However, his nickname soon became his real name, since the staff always identified him as Big Thing when cars were looking to adopt.

When he was eight, Big Thing decided he had had enough of the orphanage. With the help of a friend, he was able to escape and took his life to the streets of Houston. However, the streets did not present him with a better life as he had hoped. Instead he found himself hungry and alone, and no one in the world seemed to care about him.

As he drove down the streets that morning, he stopped at a gas station. With the little money he had found and begged for, he saw that he was going to get a decent amount of gas this time. Usually he had no money and had to steal gas and food, but having money would keep the cops at bay.

As he pulled up to the pump, the price was three seventy-five a gallon, one of the highest prices that year. When he was a child, prices had been much lower, but they had increased drastically in the past few years. This rise in gas prices brought panic to the world of cars, and with this panic came a rise in fuel efficiency conscious.

Before the rise in gas prices, cars could care less what each other's fuel economy was, but now it was everyone's business. Cars that had high gas mileage were praised and seen as the next big thing in vehicular advancement. Cars that had low gas mileage were looked down upon, and became the blame for the rise in gas prices. The gas-guzzlers, as they were called, ranged from trucks to SUVs and even classic cars. They were constantly criticized for the amount of fuel they took in, which made them feel ashamed of something they couldn't help. This constant criticism allowed them to become outcasts in terms of politics and advancement in society, and this allowed fuel efficient cars to gain power. The fuel efficients, the term for cars with high gas mileage, did whatever they could to keep gas-guzzlers from advancing. They tried to show that they were the superior type of car to change the world, not the gas guzzlers.

Being a gas-guzzler in the time of rising gas prices was what made Big Thing an undesirable car to adopt. As Big Thing ordered a 20-gallon can of oil, he couldn't help but think of all the times he was passed over because of his gas mileage. All his life he wanted someone to sincerely care about him, but all he got was hate.

After he finished consuming his oil, he continued to drive around the city. As he drove, he heard cars yelling at him, calling him dirty and ugly, and one car even threw trash at him. He ignored these insulting gestures and drove on, since this happened to him everyday. Being a homeless gas-guzzler defiantly made him a target, but it was nothing to fear.

Although, there was one group of cars that Big Thing did fear that lived in the city. They were a group of fuel-efficient extremists about his age, who desired the destruction of all gas-guzzler kind. He had become their ultimate target, where he had been subject to many of their physical and mental attacks. He lost count of how many times he had been cornered by them and beat up for their sick pleasure, and he had the dents and scratches to show it.

As he drove down the streets, he was happy he did not see them anywhere today. He could only hope that they would continue to simply beat him up, but he was waiting for the day to come when they would do their worse. He hoped that day was never going to come, but he knew that after living on the streets for years, things could take a turn for the worst very quickly.


	2. Chapter 2

***Hey everyone, here is another update! This story might have longer gaps between chapters, I'm really trying to put my best effort with writing and editing this story. So if you don't see updates for a while, I'm trying to put out the best work I can! Enjoy!***

Chapter 2

A few weeks after the gas prices had hit three seventy-five a gallon, Big Thing was driving back to his alleyway. It was nighttime, and a light mist was coming down with the moon occasionally peeking out from behind the clouds. The streets were quiet and there were very few cars driving about. It was a peaceful night in Houston, but to Big Thing it was a little too peaceful.

Big Thing held his guard as he surveyed his surroundings, on the lookout for any cars that could possibly come after him. He learned that on the streets you could never let your guard down. If you did for a second, it could lead to your downfall.

As Big Thing looked around, he caught a glimpse into some of the apartments that he drove past. Currently he had a fever and felt very sick, and he wished he could have a place to rest to help him recover faster. As he passed them by, he craved for a place to live that was warm and comforting, and would keep him sheltered on a cold and rainy night. For a second he caught himself reminiscing, dreaming of sleeping in a warm bed, always having food on the table, having parents that would take care of him…

Suddenly, he heard the scream of squealing tires and revving engines, and he was ripped from his daydream. Completely caught off guard, he felt a car jump right in front of him and punch him square in the front bumper. As a throbbing pain spread across his bumper, two other cars came flying into him at his sides, and one of the cars hit low and hard enough that he felt his front axel break. He screamed out in pain as it broke and he tried to get away, but he was surrounded.

The two cars that had crashed into him were holding him in place, preventing him from getting free. He had no idea what was happening, but he did his best to not show his confusion or fear. He then saw two cars drive towards him, and he recognized them right away. He immediately scowled and threateningly revved his engine.

"Shiloh," Big Thing muttered under his breath.

"Big Thing, its so nice to see you," Shiloh sneered. Shiloh was a silver 2004 Toyota Prius, and he was the leader of the fuel efficient extremist group that Big Thing feared. Shiloh was originally a resident of Boston, but along with his gang he moved to Houston in order spread his ideas to the fuel efficients of the Southwest.

"So, what are you going to do to me this time?" Big Thing grumbled. He tried his best to hide the pain that was searing through his body from being punched and having a broken axel.

"Ah, I'm glad you asked. I thought on a nice quiet night like tonight, I could treat you with something you have deserved for a long time," Shiloh mocked, and threw him a wicked grin. Shiloh's talent was making Big Thing feel as uncomfortable and worthless as possible while in his clutches.

He turned to the car parked next to him and began to whisper. The car next to him was his partner and crime, Blu Blaze. He was a blue 2004 Honda Insight, and he was always at Shiloh's side. He quickly whispered back to Shiloh and handed him something that Big Thing could not see.

"Gas guzzlers," Shiloh spat, returning his attention to Big Thing. "Worthless, pitiful creatures they are. They slowly eat away at our food supply and destroy our environment. Since they are bigger, the gas guzzlers automatically think they are better than us, when in fact they are inferior. They are inferior to the cars that are more technologically advanced and bred to be more efficient, which actually makes us the superior beings. "

Shiloh paused, and then from underneath his tire he reveled what Blu Blaze had handed to him. It was a revolver, and Big Thing's body immediately froze up in fear. Shiloh noticed his reaction and gave him a sly smile, and drove up towards him.

"You see, it's always been my dream to see the cars that really deserve to be on top succeed, and that is us. Hybrids, fuel efficient cars, electric cars…we were meant to change the world. All the gas guzzlers have done is hold us back, and it is my desire to get rid of them all to help the fuel efficients achieve the success they deserve," Shiloh stated, and let out a cold laugh.

"Wha-what are you gonna do to me?" Big Thing asked again, but this time his voice was shaking and his body was trembling with fear. He didn't know why he asked, since already knew what was going to happen to him ever since Shiloh pulled out his revolver.

Shiloh drove up an inch from his bumper, and then loaded a bullet into the chamber. Big Thing heard the gun click and he flinched. Shiloh then placed the gun in the gap between Big Thing's hood and his grille, and his sly grin was now looking menacing.

"Since my desire is to rid the world of all gas guzzlers, it wouldn't hurt to start with you first. You are the perfect candidate to be my first victim. You are homeless and alone, and nobody in this world cares about you. You have no family or friends, meaning no one will come looking for you when your body goes missing. I will get away with your murder, and your death will be the start of something big, something great." Shiloh laughed again, and to Big Thing his laugh pierced every frame of his body.

"One bullet is all it will take. It will go through your engine and brain, and you will die instantly." Shiloh paused and looked towards the two cars holding him down. "Upon his death get the trailer as quickly as possible. We will be dumping him in the Gulf."

Shiloh then turned his attention back to Big Thing. The two cars eye's met, and Big Thing felt Shiloh's stare burn into him.

Shiloh reached for the trigger. In that moment, Big Thing felt his life flash before his eyes, his meaningless, useless life. He had accomplished nothing, since he never found a family or a place to call home. He was unwanted and Shiloh was right, no one did care about him. If he did die, no one would notice if he went missing. He was hated for what he was, and no one wanted to give him a second chance.

A second chance was all he needed, and that's all he wanted. Big Thing realized it was too late for that now; he was going to die at Shiloh's tires. Big Thing closed his eyes as he heard the trigger click, and he was ready to except death.

Yet, nothing happened. He felt no pain from the bullet going through his body, and the darkness from his eyes being closed didn't subside. He decided to open his eyes, and to his surprise he was alive. He was still standing there with the two fuel efficients holding him down and Shiloh parked in front of him. He kept hearing the trigger click and Shiloh was cursing under his breath, but then he started yelling out in frustration.

"What the hell is wrong with this thing?! Why won't it fire?!" Shiloh yelled, pulling on the trigger again and again.

"Shiloh! Stop! The gun is jammed; it could backfire!" Blu Blaze yelled out in concern.

Suddenly, Big Thing saw a small window of opportunity, and he decided to take it. Without a second thought, he swung his massive body around, catching the two cars holding him down off guard. They loosened their grip on him, and as quickly as he could he turned and drove away. He pushed his massive V8 as much as it could carry him.

"After him! Kill him!" Shiloh shouted out with fury, and with that him and his gang took off in hot pursuit after Big Thing.

Big Thing was flying down the city streets as fast as he could, the fuel efficients hot on his tail. He swerved down road after road, hoping they would connect to the busiest part of the city. _If I can just get myself to a main street, they will stop chasing me. They won't risk killing me where they have a chance of getting caught _Big Thing thought. He jumped over trashcans, swerved around dumpsters and caught wandering city folk by surprise as he flew by, all on a broken front axel. Fear was the only thing that was driving him; the instinctive need to stay alive.

Finally, Big Thing reached a main street. The street was bustling with cars going to the bars and nightclubs, and luckily it was the bustiest street he had been on that night. He noticed the fuel efficients had dropped back, and for now he was safe.

Big Thing leaned up against a building and tried to catch his breath. His axel was throbbing in pain since he shouldn't have been driving on it. His engine was now burning because of his fever, and he had overworked that past its limit as well.

In his pain and exhaustion a sudden thought came to him, and he knew what he needed to do. The next day he was going to finally leave Houston and get away from the gang of fuel efficients that were threatening his life. Where he would be going he had not a clue, but anywhere was better than being constantly in danger, and Big Thing did not want to risk that again. They had done their worst, and now it was time to leave them behind.

The next morning, Big Thing picked himself up and ventured out of the city of Houston. He didn't go back to his alleyway before he left, since he didn't want to risk running into Shiloh again. He got onto the highway and began his long search for a new home.

The highway droned on. His broken axel was throbbing with pain more than ever, and his fever was only getting worse. He knew that he shouldn't be pushing his engine but he had no choice; he had to get away.

He had no idea where he was going as he passed through many cities and towns. He continued to follow the road blindly, and hoped he would land himself in a place where cars would actually care about him. He needed another chance to start his life over, but he didn't know where to go.

Big Thing didn't know how many miles he had gone, but his fever and exhaustion were starting to take its toll. He knew he had to get off the highway and rest, and as he drove he looked out for a gas station. While driving over a bridge he saw a sign for a truck stop, and he decided that would be a decent place to stop and rest.

He drove off the highway and then entered the truck stop. His engine was starting to overheat, and now that he had stopped moving he was starting to feel faint. He drove up next to a gas pump and waited to be served.

A young pick up truck drove up towards him, and despite his poor condition she gave him a smile.

"Welcome to Lone Star Truck Stop, sir! How may I help yah?" she asked sweetly.

Big Thing turned to look at her and say he wanted gas, but nothing came out. He suddenly felt woozy and light on his tires. His engine was burning and the pain in his axel was bad enough that it started going numb. He started to loose control of himself and the faintness that he felt earlier began to overwhelm him.

He felt himself start to sway on his tires, and then he lost control. He felt his body shut down and everything went black. His eyes rolled back into his head as his body toppled over onto his side, and it came down with a massive thud.

The screaming and shouting that followed his collapse faded out to him. He could only hope the cars here would care enough to help him, and give him his second chance.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Do you think he will be alright?" asked a muffled voice.

"I hope so, he isn't in too good of a shape. It's too early on to tell how he will do," another muffled voice answered. The two muffled voices continued in conversation and then within an instant, they were gone.

Big Thing was sleeping on a car lift, and had been doing so for over ten hours. The muffled voices finally reached into his conscious and he stirred. He opened his eyes slowly, but his eyes had nothing to adjust to. Only darkness and emptiness surrounded him, which gave him a slight bout of panic. Big Thing turned on his headlights to survey his surroundings, but what he saw did not comfort him.

Large machines and medical instruments were everywhere, and his panic began to worsen. He didn't know where he was, and he didn't know who had brought him to this place. His mind automatically went to the worst possible scenario, and his panic sent him onto a fearful rampage.

"They're gonna torture me to death!" Big Thing shouted. He tried to drive forward and escape, but did not realize he was on a car lift. In his panic Big Thing's tires spun, spending him flying off the lift. He fell with a large thud and skidded a few feet, sending some machines and instruments flying as he went. When he finally came to a halt, he tried to get back upright, but could not. Instead he squirmed around on the floor, screaming and shouting. Big Thing realized he was not going to be able to escape the torture he was about to receive.

The doors to the dark room suddenly flung open, and Big Thing looked onto them in horror.

"What the hell is going on in here?!" a car yelled as it drove into the dark room. This only made Big Thing more frightened, and he desperately tried again to right himself, but could not.

The car turned on the lights, and the whole room illuminated. Big Thing got a good glimpse of his captor, who happened to be an old, jet-black Dodge Charger with sapphire eyes. The Charger drove towards Big Thing and he tried to squirm away, but he found himself caught in a corner.

"Its alright, boy. I'm not going to hurt you, now calm down some. I'm here to try and help you get better," the Charger said calmly, with a slight Texas accent. Big Thing turned to look at his captor again, fear still present in his eyes. The Charger picked up on it and gave him a calm, warm smile.

"It's ok, you can trust me," he said. For a second, Big Thing stopped to think. The car was not trying to hurt him, and in no way looked threatening. He was not going to get off the floor by himself, and he needed this car's help. The fear left his eyes, and the Charger picked it up.

"Here boy, let me help you," the Charger said, and drove up to Big Thing to help him get upright. With some effort, the car accomplished this task, and Big Thing was standing on all four tires again.

"See, nothing to be afraid of! Now get back on the lift, you need to rest," the Charger addressed.

"Where am I? And who are you?" Big Thing asked as he drove onto the car lift. He could still feel the pain of his broken axel as he drove, and since he had fallen it had only made the pain worse.

"Well, boy, you are in my doctor's office. I'm Dr. Richard Delgano, but you can just call me Rich. I am the doctor for the small town of Clay, Texas," Rich replied confidently.

"Where is Clay?" Big Thing asked.

"About an hour outside of Arlington."

Big Thing was shocked. Had he really been on the road in his condition for over four hours?

"Really? I didn't even know I drove that far. I drove all the way from Houston," Big Thing mentioned.

"You're from Houston? Boy, I don't even know how you made it from Houston to here in one piece. That fever of yours was so high! I reckon it was 'cause you ran that engine for so long. If you ran that fever any higher you would have been going to the hospital for sure!" Rich exclaimed, surprised at how far his patient had traveled in his condition. In that moment, Rich gained a sense of respect for Big Thing.

"So, boy I didn't ask you before. What's your name?"

"Well my real name, I'm not really too sure. Everyone just calls me Big Thing," Big Thing answered, giving Rich an uncertain glance. He wasn't a fan of using his nickname, but that was all he had.

"Big Thing…well that is quite an interesting nickname. I see where it comes from. You are slightly larger than the average Tahoe, from the looks of it. And you said you don't know your real name?" Rich asked curiously.

"No. I don't know my real name. I don't know who my parents are, and I don't have a family. I was brought into an orphanage when someone found me on the street, and I was only a year old then," Big Thing said, becoming slightly melancholy at the thought of his past.

Rich looked onto Big Thing sympathetically, and his respect for the Tahoe only grew.

"I'm sorry, Big Thing. That could not have been an easy life," Rich said softly. Big Thing nodded his hood, but didn't say anything.

For a moment, there was silence, and then a random thought came to Rich's mind.

"Big Thing?" Rich asked. He got Big Thing' s attention, and he raised his hood to look at Rich.

"Why did you leave Houston, and drive all this way when you were that unwell?"

"Fuel efficients. There was a gang of them that beat me up for their own pleasure. I dealt with it for a long time, but they tried to murder me recently. They almost got away with it, so when I got free I had no choice but to leave my only home…" Big Thing trailed off, and the thought of his last encounter with the fuel efficients made him shudder.

Rich nodded his hood, and now understood why Big Thing had reacted the way he did when he first saw him. His patient's life had not been an easy one, and he had found no one in his life he could trust. Of course he would be scared to find himself in a dark room and not know where he was. _Maybe he thought the fuel efficients took him captive, and were going to try and murder him again_ Rich thought.

"Well rest assured, Big Thing. There are not many fuel efficients in Clay and if there are, they are a friendly bunch. Personally, I do not have a liking for fuel efficient cars, especially when they stop by the gas station where you stopped. In a town full of gas guzzlers, they automatically think they are on top, when they are only stopping for a tank of gas!" Rich laughed at the thought, and this helped Big Thing's mood lift a little.

"You are safe here, and you can trust me to help you get better. You will be staying in my office until you are clear, which means no more fever or broken axel," Rich said in a disciplinary tone, and then drove over towards Big Thing's backside.

Big Thing heard the Charger mumble to himself, and then he left a yank near his back bumper. Big Thing was startled from the movement and jumped slightly. Rich reassured the Tahoe as he drove back to his front side.

"Sorry about that, but I had to pull this," Rich said, showing Big Thing a very small and old looking license plate. Big Thing gave it a funny glance; he didn't even know he had a license plate.

"Why is it so small?" Big Thing asked.

"That's 'cause it's a child's license plate. And from the looks of it, this is the one you've had since you were a baby," Rich addressed. In that moment, hope stirred in Big Thing. Maybe Rich could track the license plate number, which could maybe track him to his parents. He told Rich the idea, but the Charger sadly shook his hood.

"Sorry, Big Thing, but a child plate expires after two years of age, and a car needs to upgrade to a standard plate. This plate is old enough that it isn't even in the records anymore." Rich paused, and handed the plate to Big Thing. "You never know when this could come in handy. Why don't you keep it?"

Big Thing took the plate from Rich, and decided he would keep it. If there was anything connecting him to his parents, this was the only connection he had.

Rich took a quick look over of Big Thing, and then had to go and get Big Thing's new license plate registered. He told the Tahoe to rest up and sleep if he needed to, and then left Big Thing to himself.

As Big Thing was sitting alone on the car lift, he started to think. A day ago, he had been living on the streets, fending only for himself. Today, he was being treated for his sickness and broken axel, and for once in his life he was not hungry. He was being pampered, and never thought twice that this would happen in his life. And for once, a car wanted to help him, instead of ignore him and drive away.

For the first time in his life, Big Thing felt that someone actually cared about him.


End file.
